Spray type sprinklers are well known in the art of irrigation and are typically used for irrigating lawns and gardens of both residential and industrial properties. Most of the sprinklers provide various degrees of coverage of areas where typically the water spray pattern covers a circle or semi-circle coverage in a fan-type of spray.
Circular spraying around the sprinkler requires large overlapping between each sprinkler to cover an area with appropriate coverage. Therefore, circular spraying solutions end up with either wasting water or under watering, as certain areas are not covered by the sprinkler system. There are certain attempts to provide solutions for non-circular shapes, particularly rectangles. However, these solutions are complex and far from providing appropriate coverage. This is shown in FIG. 1A in diagram 100A where a sprinkler 110 is configured to irrigate a square area 100. It is adjusted such that the sprinkler 110 irrigates on a diameter equal to the length of the rectangular using spraying lines 140. As shown in FIG. 1, the irrigated area 120 is smaller than the area of the square 100; this leaves several non-irrigated areas 130, resulting in under irrigation. Conversely, in the case shown in FIG. 1B, the sprinkler 110 is configured to sprinkle on the diagonal of the square 100. As a result, the entire square area is irrigated. However, additional areas 150 are irrigated as well resulting in over irrigation and waste of water.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show attempts to provide better coverage using sprinklers 210 that allow not only adjusting the sprinkling radius, but also the angle of coverage. Specifically, in this case shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B the angle of coverage is 90 degrees for each sprinkler 210. In the case depicted in FIG. 2A, there is under irrigation of areas 230 while in the case depicted in FIG. 2B, there is an over irrigation of areas 250. Thus, none of these situations are desirable.
As a result of the deficient circular and semi-circular sprinkler solutions, there have been attempts to irrigate using various rectangular sprinkling solutions. The solutions discussed in the related art are mostly based on the use of moving parts, are complex to operate, have a relatively low reliability and are high in cost. Moreover, none of the prior art solutions deal effectively with odd shaped areas that require irrigation. Sprinklers that irrigate square and partially square surfaces exist, but they cannot be adjusted and their irrigation surfaces, as determined during the manufacturing process, are permanent. These permanent irrigation patterns might cause over or under irrigation of an area as specified above.
It would be therefore advantageous to provide a solution where a sprinkler can be adjusted to cover a predetermined area pattern that is not a circle or semi-circle. It would be further advantageous if such a solution does not require the use of moving parts.